douniah

douniah lets multiple cultural influences shine through: Influenced by both German and Moroccan culture, the singer has found her musical home on Cologne label Melting Pot; she grew up in Hamburg and currently lives in Berlin. Her lyrics switch elegantly between English, German and Darija (Moroccan Arabic). Among her self-reported influences are the neo-soul of Erykah Badu and the unconventional indie of Bon Iver. This kind of stylish, semi-experimental R&B that’s both playful and mature is not uncommon at the moment, yet douniah stands out from the crowd: the beats stumble forwards à la J Dilla; the bass sounds as if it were done by Thundercat himself. Her music is extremely tasteful, with jazzy electric piano chords and unobtrusive brass samples. On top, douniah sings crystal-clear soul melodies that sound almost like free improvisation.